40 Health Benefits of Corn : Antioxidant, Vitamin & Mineral Sources

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Corn is also known as maize is a large grain plant originated from Mexico. From there, corn were introduced to the South America 5,000 years ago and then to Europe in the late 15th Century. Today, corn is consumed in many different ways by many different countries from around the world, corn could be steamed, boiled, barbequed, soup mix, salad mix and also many options of processed food made from corn and one that becomes world’s favorite is corn cereal. There are some varieties of corn, many people around the world only know that corn has yellow color but the fact is there are more colors like red, black, pink, purple and blue. However, the yellow corn contains high carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin.

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Nutrients Value of Corn

Corn – Boiled – Yellow

Serving Size: 100 gr

Generals

Values

Calories

96

Water

73%

Protein

3.4 g

Carbs

21 g

– Sugar

4.5 g

– Fiber

2.4 g

Fats

1.5 g

– Saturated

0.2 g

– Monounsaturated

0.37 g

– Polyunsaturated

0.6 g

– Omega 3

0.02 g

– Omega 6

0.59 g

Vitamins

Vitamin A

13 µg – 1%

Vitamin C

5.5 mg – 6%

Vitamin E

0.09 mg – 1%

Vitamin K

0.4 µg – 0%

Vitamin B1 – Thiamine

0.09 mg – 8%

Vitamin B2 – Riboflavin

0.06 mg – 4%

Vitamin B3 – Niacin

1.68 mg – 11%

Vitamin B5 – Phantothenic Acid

0.79 mg – 16%

Vitamin B6 – Pyridoxine

0.14 mg – 11%

Folate

23 µg – 6%

Choline

29.1 mg – 5%

Minerals

Calciums

3 mg – 0%

Iron

0.45 mg – 6%

Magnesium

26 mg – 7%

Phosphorous

77 mg – 11%

Potassium

218 mg – 5%

Sodium

1 mg – 0%

Zinc

0.62 mg – 6%

Copper

0.05 mg – 5%

Manganese

0.17 mg – 7%

Selenium

0.2 µg – 0%

Corn is common food available all year around and could be found in all countries. So, people tend to think nothing special about corn, besides that the taste is kind of plain even the sweetest varieties. However, corn contain a lot of properties that are highly beneficial for human’s health and in some countries, corn is used as the replacement of rice or wheat because of the carbohydrate contained in corn. Below is the list of health benefits of corn.

Excellent Source of Antioxidant

Though the taste is kind of plain, the antioxidant contained in corn is surprisingly high. Many studies have tried to find out the list of antioxidant contained in many varieties of corn and the benefits from those antioxidants are as below:

1. Lowers Blood Pressure

It is a common knowledge that food rich of antioxidant is able to reduce the risk of all cardiovascular diseases and especially on corn, it contains compounds that produce special enzymes that is beneficial in lowering the blood pressure.

Do you know that tumor occurs when cells are not able to regenerate normally due to free radicals? Instead it will cause some abnormal mutations well known as cancerous cells that could promote the development of tumor.

The same compound, ferulic acid, also has been proven to effective in prevent liver cancer. Furthermore, anthocyanin mostly found in purple corn is also effective in eliminating the main causes of cancer by fighting the free radicals.

For those who have been familiar with antioxidant and its main function surely know that there is no better compound that could fight free radicals effectively but antioxidants. In corn the amount of antioxidants are surprisingly available in relatively high amount.

Food Rich of Fiber

It is a common knowledge that fiber is the solution to deal with all the digestion problem and constipation is the common one. However, not everyone knows that fiber has functions more than you could imagine.

Related: Health Benefits of Fiber

6. Good for Digestive System

Fiber, though it cannot be extracted into something beneficial for body to absorb but its function is amazing and nothing could take its place because fiber has function to bind some excessive properties inside the bowel to be washed off from digestive system.

Believe it or not, the fiber contained in corn could function as probiotic by promoting the growth of friendly bacteria inside the intestine. Well, this type of bacteria is essential for the health of digestive system.

Many studies have proven that there is strong connection between fiber and cancer prevention because corn is rich of fiber and antioxidants and helping the bowel movement and reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Not only the fiber content in corn that is beneficial to control blood sugar but also some vitamins, especially the vitamin B1 and vitamin B5, folid acid. The fiber will assist in slowing down the digestive tract and the result is also slow absorption of glucose in the blood stream.

As it is rich of fiber and able to control blood sugar level surely corn is considered to be friendly food for people with diabetes. Furthermore, it is also containing carbs which function as energy booster and great replacement of rice and wheat.

It is a common knowledge that there is no better solution to treat constipation but fiber because it helps in improvement the bowel movement inside the intestine and provide excellent solution effectively.

Hemorrhoids considered to be one of the conditions is not as easy to deal with as constipation but the fiber contained in corn could be the natural solution people have been looking for to deal with this condition.

Healthy bowel movement means the intestine is working in normal pace without disturbance and without pressure. Furthermore, the nutrients will be absorbed optimally and all the excess and unnecessary compounds will be washed away from the bowel.

Fiber is not only able to optimize the bowel movement but also able to control its movement. If it is needed, fiber could assist in slowing it down and treat diarrhea effectively. The slow movement also beneficial to the absorption of glucose in bloodstream to prevent the raise of blood sugar.

Fiber has prominent function in binding the LDL and provides HDL to function optimally while the antiatherogenic effect of corn could reduce the cholesterol level in the body by reducing its absorption by the body.

The accumulation of blood clot could occur in the arteries and disturb the distribution of blood. How to protect arteries is by making sure the amount of HDL is enough to deal with the amount of LDL since LDL is the main reason how blood clot accumulated.

Vitamin B complex is the essential for nerve health and nerve health is essential so your body system could communicate optimally. Consuming corn will provide niacin which is mostly required to promote nerve health.

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18. Maintain Cognitive Function

The health cognitive function is closely related to how your nerve system is functioning. If it is functioning optimally, the cognitive system will follow suit. Just making sure you consume corn in proper amount to provide enough vitamins to promote nerve health.

19. Prevents Pellagra

Niacins is not only prominent for nerve health but also prevent pellagra, which is a condition characterized by diarrhea. The deficiency of niacin will cause this condition to occur.

20. Prevents Dementia

Dementia and Alzheimer is a brain condition that mostly suffered by elderly. Well, this condition could be prevented during younger age by consuming foods rich of thymine and others Vitamin B-complex that has been well known as good for cognitive function.

Birth defect occur when during pregnancy, the fetus is suffering some deficiencies and not well-protected so viruses and bacteria will easily infect the fetus. Corn contains adequate amount of folid acid that will make sure the fetus grows healthily.

All foods high in folate or folid acid, vitamins and minerals are good for pregnant women and corn are rich of those compounds. Furthermore, minerals like iron and zinc is essential to produce red blood cells which prominent to the development of fetus.

Vitamins are what you need as immunity booster especially vitamin C that could fight several types of virus and provide protection to the immunity system.

24. Promotes Healthier and Younger Skin

Many studies have proven that corn is good for skin. First is because of its antioxidant properties that promote the health regeneration of cells including skin cells, so your skin will always look healthy and young.

Macular degeneration and cataracts are the world’s common visual impairments that could cause some eye problems and even blindness is not the worst but the most case found caused by those two conditions. As rich of vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin B-complex and Vitamin E, corn is able to promote eye health and prevent macular degeneration to occur.

Speaking of healthy heart, potassium is what you need to protect your heart and together with minerals like magnesium will make sure the normal heart rate. Normal heart rate means heart will function normally without any forces.

Once blood pressure is no longer under controlled some conditions like stroke could happen anytime and corn which is containing minerals and adequate amount of potassium could make sure the risk of stroke could be reduced effectively.

Surely you would never think that eating something as delicious and fun as popcorn could help you preventing and treating anemia effectively. It is due to the iron contained in corn is relatively high.

In some countries with food problems, corn is type of food firstly exported as food aid because of its high calories contain will becomes the best survival solution to assist in dealing with food problems.

Though there are a lot of studies have been conducted but there are more studies should be taken to proof more benefits of corn. Corn has shown positive indication towards certain conditions and though some benefits below still required more studies, but at least a good news is just around the corner.

38. Optimizes the Absorption of Minerals

Aside from the facts that corn is also containing compound best known as ant nutrients, some researchers also found that with the combination of other legumes will provide the opposite effect and optimize the absorption of minerals though further studies still required.

Today many cosmetic products have been using corn as part of the ingredients because even raw corn could assist in soothing the skin rashes and irritations. Many studies have been conducted to find out whether corn is able to be used as substitution of carcinogenic petroleum.

40. Possibly Could Act as Anti-HIV Activity

One thing that attracts many researches of corn is the possibility of corn as anti-HIV activity. It is due to the lectins found in corn which could bind a certain compound that help in inhibiting the activity of certain viruses including HIV virus. Though surely more studies are still required in more specific field.

Cautions of Corn

It is true that all of the benefits mentioned above mostly have been proven through researches, studies or just daily observation but still there are some concerns you shouldn’t take for granted related to the cautions or side effects of consuming corn whether it is the amount or from where your corn comes from.

1. Be Aware of Corn from GMO

GMO or Genetically Modified Organism is the technology in agriculture we should appreciate but until now, GMO is not entirely safe for human body. That’s why you should aware from where your corn is cultivated. Today there are a lot of myth regulated that sweet corn is the product of GMO. Well, it is not entirely true because most of corn variety is taste deliciously sweet, so don’t worry but still be aware of where it comes from is important.

Many legumes contain a certain acid called phytic acid which is also well known as anti nutrients. This compound is able to impairing the absorption of zinc and iron which is important to human body. However, it is not a big problem as long as you consume it in proper amount and besides the variety of foods you consume is also important. Consuming corn with meat regularly could cause this problem.

3. Fungi Contamination

The problem with agriculture product like corn is it is easily contaminated with fungi. The problem is not the fungi but the toxin that produced by the contamination called mycotoxins. Don’t be too panic with this toxin as long as you consume it in proper amount and not regularly, the worst effect could be avoided.

4. Obesity

Corn is containing high carbohydrate and fatty acid. Mostly corn used as part of diet by those with weight gain problems. However, if you already have problem with your weight, avoiding corn and all products made from corn is important. Remember that corn contains the high source of carbohydrates, so if you consume it then please do balance it with protein and more nutrient body needs.

There are a lot of products made from corn and one of them is artificial sweetener claimed from corn. Well, don’t fall to this cheap sweetener solution because the sugary level is much worse than the actual sugar product. So, be careful.

There are some discussions about corn since it is one of the crops cultivated in all over the world, so surely the number of people who are wondering how much corn benefits to human health is a lot and also some myths that are regulated. Corn is not type of vegetable you could consume uncooked, but there is myth stated that cooked corn will contain less nutrients. Well, it is not entirely true, cooked corn is just increasing and activating some antioxidants contained in corn. So, since corn is easy to find, offered in relatively cheap price and available all over the years, let’s start consuming corn from today onward and enjoy all the health benefits of corn.